Knitting needle



.July 16, l1940., w. H. R. DUNN 2,208,124

KNITTING NEEDLE Filed June l5, 1938 Wuuuuuuwuu HF! @gli .n

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PATENT OFFICE KNITTING NEEDLE William Henry Robert Calif., assignor ofDunn, North Hollywood, forty-nine per cent to Ferdinand A. Datig, LosAngeles County, Calif.

Application June 15,

7 Claims.

This invention relates'to a flexible knitting needle of the type usedfor continuous knitting in a circular form.

In the knitting of skirts, sleeves and other articles, the generalpractice is to continuously knit in a circle until the entire garment isfinished. This requires either `a set of three or more needles of theordinary rigid type or the use of a needle composed of two rigid tipsconnected with a iiexible cable or wire. This invention relates to aneedle with tips and iiexible cable.

In knittingy with the flexible cable type of needle the user iscontinually twisting and turning the tips, causing a twist in the cable.As a result the cable breaks after a period of time. Failure of thecable means a dropping of stitches and either the destruction of thearticle being knitted or a great loss of time and energy in recoveringthe dropped stitches.

It ls an object of this invention to provide a knitting needleof theflexible cable type which will not break from twisting.

In knitting it is often desirable to alter the size of the stitches.Prior to this invention it was necessary to change the article beingworked on from one set of needles to a set of needles of different size.This invention makes possible the change of the size of the stitch bymerely changing the size of the tips attached to the flexible cable.

When it is desired to lay aside a piece of work using ordinary needles,it is necessary to shove the material well away from the tips to preventstitches from coming od the ends. In circular knittingthere ispractically no chance to do this as the knitted article bridges the gapsbetween the points and tends to pull the stitches olf of the needle.replacing tips, prevents a loss of stitches from the'needle.

In the drawing: i A

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a knitting needle made in accordance with thisinvention.

Fig. 2 is a cross section of part A of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a cross section of the tips of the needle.

Fig. 4 is a. plan view of various tips.

Fig. 5 is a cross section of the guard used to replace the tips.

Fig. 6 is a fragmental sectional view of a modied form of knittingneedle embodying my invention.

I and 2 are exible cables or wires forming the base of the knitting,needle. A swivel A joins the two ends of the cables. This swivel isformed of a tip 3 having therein a bore 20 for insert- This invention,by means oi guardsA 193s, serial No. 213394 (ci. lic-111) ing andwelding or soldering cable I. The cylindrical boss 4 attached to tip 3has an indentation 5. The body member 6 has a cylindrical cavity 'I intowhich is placed the boss I. The body member 6 has a hole through it at 8to provide for a retaining pin 9 which fits into the indentation 5 andprevents a withdrawal of the boss 4. 'I'he pin 9 is held in place bywelding or soldering on the outside of the body member 6. It is readilyapparent that body member 6 can now be rotated in relation to tip 3 butcannot be removed therefrom. Body member Ghas a threaded end Ill toengage complementary threads on tip II. Tip II is soldered or welded tocable 2 as was tip 3 to cable I. The tips d and II oi the swivel aretapered to make a uniform slope from the flexible cables over which thestitches may be readily moved. This taper must t'exactly the exiblecable and the outside of the body member 6. The joints between the cableand the swivel and between the various parts of the swivel must besmooth and without any projection so as to permit the free passage ofstitches across the swivel. It is also necessary that the swivel membernever be larger than the smallest size tips I2 placed on the ends of thecables I and 2.

Tips Ii are composed of Celluloid or a plastic and have a cavity I3 forreceiving an internally threaded nut i4. The nut I4 engages a bolt I5which has a section I6 tapering into the ends of the cables I and i. Thebolt I5 has a cavity Il for inserting and welding therein the cables Iand 2. The tips I2 can be removed by merely unscrewing the nut I4 fromthe bolt I5 and interchanging it with any size of tips as displayed inFig. 4.

'When it is desired to lay aside the work, the tips I2 may be unscrewedand replaced by the guard I8 which is composed of a nut having thereon ayflange I9 to retain stitches on the needlles and internally threaded toreceive the bolt A feature of this invention is that the tips i2 may bemade in various contrasting colors so that diilerent colored tips can beused to contrast with the yarn so that even in poor light the stitcheswill be more clearly apparent.

When it is desired to make articles of varying sizes such as a. skirt,cuffs or neck-band, the size of the needle may be made smaller or largerby removing the tip II, adding a length, or inserting in its place a tipI2. If the article is larger than ordinary, an extra cable I with swivelattached can be attached to the nut Il and tip I2 placed on 4the otherend.

point I2l and the tip 3*. This positioning 'f theswivel at this pointpermits the maintaining of a swivel within the knitting needle no matterwhere or to what section or sections of the cable the knitting needle isconnected. In this form of construction the swivel may be formed bypositioning within a cavity2lln formed in a plug |41 in the end of thepoint l2, a spring expansion ring 2I. This ring 2l@ is cutrat- 22SL topermit the same to expand to receive the ball 23a within f the cavity20. The ball 23 is secured to the end of the reduced diameter rod 2l,which rod 2l may be formed integral .with the tip 3a. The ring 2l isfitted into the enlarged ring recess 25B to permit the same to expandtherein when the ball 23 is moved into the cavity 20".

Another distinct feature of my invention lies in the fact that thepoints or tips I2 or I 2In are made of dierent colored material. Thuswhen one is knitting, the color of the tip or point I2 or l2a usedcontrastsvwith the yarn color when, for example, white yarn is used, ared or blue tip I2 or l2"L is used. When a dark yarn is used, a white oryellow tip or point is substituted.

Having fully described my invention, it is to be understood that I donot wish to be limited to the details herein set forth, but my inventionis of the full scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

l. In a knitting needle, the combination of exible cables connected by aswivel means, said flexible cables having rigid tips at the ends awayfrom said swivel means.

2. In a knitting needle, the combination oi exible cables connected by aswivel means, said flexible cables having removable rigid tips at theends away from said swivel means.

3. In a knitting needle, the combination of ilexible cables connected bya swivel means, said ilexible cables having removable rigid tips at theends opposite said swivel means, means for disconnecting said cables atthe. swivel means to either shorten or lengthen said needle by insertingan extra flexible cable or placing a rigid tip in place o1 one cable.

-4. In a knitting needle, the combination oi' -flexible cablesconnected'by a swivel means. said swivel means having tapered tips, abody member, said body` member being connected to one oi.' said taperedtips by a swivel joint and threadcables having rigid tips at the'endsaway from said swivel means.

5. In a knitting needle, the combination of ilexible cables connected bya swivel means, said swivel means having tapered tips, a bodymember,said body member being connected to one of said tapered tips by aswivel joint and threadably engaging the other said tip, said flexiblecables having removable rigid tips at the ends away from said swivelmeans.

6. In a ilexible knitting needle, the combination of ilexible cablesJoined by a swivel and having removable rigid tips at the extremities.

7.v In a knitting needle, the combination of iiexible cables connectedby a swivel means, said swivel means having tapered tips, a body member,said body member being connected to one of said tapered tips by a swivelJoint and threadably engaging the other said tip, said tapered tipshaving bores thereon i'or inserting and welding said exible cables, saidflexible cables having rigid tips at the ends away from said swivelmeans.

WILLIAM HENRY ROBERT DUNN.

.ably engaging the other said tip, said exible

